Electrical plug and receptacle.



PATENT'ED MAR. 1o, 190s.

P.. u. BROWN. ELECTRICAL PLUG. AND RECEPTAGLE.

APPLIGATION P ILB'D oqT.2o, 190s.

UNITED sTATEs PATENT OEEIOE.

. PENNELL o. BROWN, or BOSTON, MA-ssncus'it'fris, As'sfGNoR 'oFoNEinLF TOFRKJ.

. RUSSELL, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

ELECTRICAL PLUG nu: RECEPTA'ULE. Y

Specicationo! Letters Patent.

Patented March 10, 19048.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PENNELL- C. BROWN, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing vat SOEmpire street, Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented .certain new and.useful Improvements in Electrical Plugs and Receptacles, of

p which the following is a specification.

This inventionl relates to an improvement in electrical plugs andreceptacles used generally for plug and receptacle iittin s, and has .special reference to an improve 4electrical Aready and easy electrical connectionand disconnection without screwing or unscrewing the plug element or plug part ofthe device.

A further object of the invention, is to provide a plug and receptacle fittingh'aving a button release connection-piece-o'r handpiece presenting the releasingelemen-ts ina convenient an handy position. lAt 'the lsame time, the invention provides a construction wherein the parts of the device when divided or separated effect a more compact arrangement and better `concealment of the current carrying parts than most ofthe known types of se arable attachment plugs and the like inor p inary use.

Other objects and advantages of the irnproved plug and receptacle will lsuggest themselves to those familiar with the art, and it-also will be understood that structural. changes in the device may be resorted to without affecting the scope of the invention, a preferred -embodiment 4of which is shown in the accompanying drawings in which- Figure 1 is a side view of a'plug and receptacle embodying the resent invention. Fig. 2 is a central longitu' inal sectional view thereof. Fig. 3 is asimilar view with .the line of section at right angles to that taken in Fi 2. Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the detac able connection-piece..

Like references designate corresponding parts Tn the several figures of the drawings.

While the -.essential` features of' thel inventlonf are lsuse tible tolembodiment in-differ -ent forms off-p ug and` rece tacle'ittings,'the

same'possess'eslspecial'ut ty-in an attach ment. plug, soffori purposesof illustration, the s 'improvements "areown' -in the drawings embodied in an 3 improved construction "of buttonirelease "separable -attachment fplug, which will now be particularly referred to. The 'devicefembodiesimite-general organijzation-a main-base memberdesl mated-by the numeral 1, and vpreferably iformed of suitable insuiating 'material land provided 'with a -rplugelement 2 1 and a receptacle element 3. Thesetwo elementsarepreferably integrated in ythe base"structure, `and 4are respeetivelydesigned to "perform the -functions of anfelectricalzplug andfan electrical "rece tacle. g Y

T e4 receptacle element Biofthe base member is inthe-'form of a flanged socket Or cup, 'and is provided rcentrall therein with "a transverse insulating bri e -bar 141,y usually integral with the rest of -the base structure, and 'acting in the capacity of ari-insulating bridge between the oppositely 'arranged contactelements 5 and 6 'locatedwithinop osite ortionsof'thereceptacle 3 and comp etely housed-therein The -safido osite contact -elementsj5-and 6 are .preferab y constructed of spring meta-lstrips or lates 'and 'arefolded upon themselves at thelrf'free ends'as at 7, to form -at theirterminals, the curved'or hooked spring catch arms 8, the functions ofwhich will be' resently referred to.

The contact e ement 5 at one side IIof the rece tacle3 -is seated at 9 directl iagainst 'the ase orbottom'of the'receptac efandfreceives-the combined connectingand fastening screw 10, the threaded shankfof which passes through the nut 11 arranged upon one side of 'the fast end of the 'contact element 5. The said screw '10 is introducedV through a screw slot :or groove 12 'formed longitudinally in one side of 1the plugelement 2, and the head thereof isa-arranged -to -bind onthe flanged -innerfend ortion `13'of fthe "threaded zplug. contact shel 14 vtightly fitted orscrewe'd upon the ex-ternal'surface of 4ithe plug felement 2, as lainly 'shown-.fin Fig.' 2 of :the drawings. rEhe other :receptacle contact element 6 is"se'a ted at its=fast end as at 15, upon a shoulder within't-he base 1 at-the inner end'v of thecentral screw hole Iformed inftheplug 2 and accommodating 'il'.herein the central P11-13'l Contact Screw 17'* The head of the central plug contact screwV 17 is eXposed at the outer end of the plug element 2 and holds in position at such oint the usual contact washer 18, while the inner threaded end of the screw 17 engages one `-and of a threaded opening 19 extending through a coupling sleeve 20 located at the base of theho e 16 upon the fast end of the contact element 6,` and also acting as a nut for the threaded end of a fastening screw 21 mounted in the insulating bridge 4 and eX- tending through one end of' the contact element 6. The tightening up of the two screws 17 and 21 serves to secure a tight mechanical and electrical'assembly of the contacts 6 and 17, while at the same time said contacts are completely and thoroughly insulated from the contacts 5 and 14.

A distinctive feature of the invention resides in associating with the receptacle element 3 and the contacts therein,a detachable connection-piece 22. This connection piece constitutes what may be characterized as the head of a lam drop cord, extension cord or equivalent` e ectrical fitting, but in the application of the invention illustrated, the said connection piece is shown as adapting the device for use as an attachment or 'extension circuit plug. In this adaptation of the invention, the said connecting-piece is in the form of. a cup provided with an end base 23 having therein a cord or wire openin 24 for the service wires, and in the edge o its flange portion or wall the said connection piece is provided with a plurality of holding mortises 25 with which register and interlock correspondingly arranged and shapedlocking and guiding tenons 26 projecting from the rece tacle wall 3, and which serve to accurately guide the connectioniece into place, while at the same time loc ing both parts of the fitting or device against a relative turning movement. It will of course be obvious that the same result would be secured by having the mortises in the flange of the receptacle, and the tenons projecting from the connection iece. This would be sim ly a reversal of t e construction shown in ig. 1 of the drawings.

The detachable connection piece 22 accommodates therein a pair of oppositely arranged spring locking blades 27 provided at their free ends with headed portions 28 constituting fastening heads adapted to sna into and out of engagement with the cate arms 8 of the contacts 5 and 6. Opposite the fastening head 28 thereof each spring locking blade 27 is folded as at 29 to form a supporting arm 30 resting against the side wall of the connection piece and receivin the securing screw 3l also passing through t e side wall of the piece 22 and engaging a threaded opening 1n the connecting strap 32 of a service wire terminal plate 33. The strap 32 of each plate 33 is arranged flat against the inner side of the arm 30 with which it co eran-s, and is projected from one end of the ody of the plate 33 Which is held flat upon the end base 23 partly by means of a binding screw 34 passing in to the said base. However this binding' screw is primarily intended to hold in place the wire terminals, as the screw 31 acts as the securer or fastener for both the plates 33 and the blades 27 with which they are in mechanical andelectrical contact.

To provide for disengaging the blades 27 from the receptacle contacts 5 and 6, there are employed the oppositely arranged release buttons 34, one for each blade. Each release button is slidably mounted in a holding and guiding opening 35 formed in the Wall of the piece 22 o posite a blade 27, and the inner end of each iiutton is provided with a flanged engaging head 36 adapted to be ressed against the adjacent blade 27. The buttons 34 are either of insulating material, or are suitably insulated from all metallic parts.

It will be observed that as the hand naturally grasps the iece 22 the thumb and iingers can readily nd and press the buttons 34 so as to place suflicient ressure upon the blades to disengage them ffoni the receptacle contacts in the act of pulling off the connection iece.

1. In an electrical connection, a base menibcr carrying external plug contacts and internal receptacle contacts o eratively connected, a connection piece iaving interior conducting elements having a snapping engagement with said receptacle contacts, and separate release buttons sup orted by the connection piece and mova fd against said conducting elements.

2. In an electrical connection, a base member having external plug contacts and internal receptacle contacts, a connection piece having lnternal 'conducting elements interlocking with said receptacle contacts, and releasing elements loosely mounted at the sides of the connection piece and movable inwardly against said conducting elements.

3. In an electrical connection, a base ineinber having external plug contacts and also provided With a receptacle element having therein a transverse insulating bridge, receptacle contacts arranged upon op ositc sides of said bridge, a connection piece raving conducting elements interlockin with said receptacle contacts, and release uttons loosely mounted in the sides of the connection piece. 4. In an electrical connection, a base meniber havin a plug element and a receptacle element t e latter provided therein with a transverse insulating bridge, receptacle contact elements .arranged upon o posite sides of said brid e and provided witi spring catch arms, a p ug contact shell having a fastening and conducting connection with oneA of the" receptacle contact elements, a ycentral plug contact screw having a fastening and -con- .ducting connection with the other receptacle contact e1ementand a detachable connection-plece carrying spring locking blades engaging said s catch arms, and slidably sup orte'd Vre ease buttons operating against the` ocki'ngblades.

.10 l 5. In an electrical connection, a base membei' having contact' elements provided with catcharmsfa detachable/connectioniece, a

pair of spring locking blades arrange the connection-piece and provided at one v15 vend with fastening heads engagin said catch arms, the opposite ends V.of said b ades being 'formed with supporting arms resting against the' body of the connection-piece, wire ter- A and operating against said blades.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aiix my Y signature in the presence of two witnesses. PENNELL` C. BROWN. Witnesses: f Y

HELEN OHARA, .JAMES O.BR1E1\T 

